A Bit of Cole Cemetery History

The Cole family occupied this site beginning as early as 1820 (the oldest dated tombstone) and they sold the property to Richard Rue in 1866. Rue and family are buried near Moselle, so they are not possible burials. Sometime later, the site was used by local African-American families as, basically, a public burial ground. This seems to have started during the ownership by the Ming family. Purportedly, there is a Ming slave cemetery, but it is believed to be located farther east than the nearby Ming Cemetery. The Cole site was not a slave burial ground during the Ming's ownership.

In the late nineteenth century and into the mid-twentieth century, South Point (now the eastern-most portions of Washington) had become known as a “black” community. Using death certificates and obituaries, we can almost prove that the Cole Cemetery, then owned by the Ming family, did indeed become what I am calling the South Point (African-American) Community Cemetery.

The two large tombstones that we re-erected were those of John and Jennie Findley. John was the owner of a store at South Point, perhaps the only store owned by an African-American in Franklin County up until that time. He dropped dead in Dr. Stierberger’s office in Union in 1924, where he had gone for treatment as he had been feeling ill. His burial, alongside wife Jennie who had died six years earlier, seems to be one of the last, if not the last, at the site.

This cemetery suffered from intentional partial destruction about thirty to forty years ago. Fortunately, a couple of the discarded headstones have been kept safe by a nearby neighbor. He is willing to return them to the site.

This narrative is condensed from a report shared by Marc Houseman of the Washington Historical Society.

Let's Meet at Cole Cemetery Saturday

We start our new project, Cole Cemetery, Saturday the 12^th beginning at 12:00 noon and probably working until about 5:00 or darkness, whichever comes first.

Directions: From Washington take Old Highway 100 (at South Point) east roughly two and a half miles. When you get to the entrance (signed) for Washington Methodist Cemetery, which is also the entrance to Riverbend Bible Chapel (the old Ming place), turn around and come back west about a hundred yards or so. There is periwinkle everywhere on the north side of the road, this is the cemetery site. A word of caution: there is an old fence along the road frontage which you will have to jump or climb over. In some places it’s almost down completely, so it shouldn’t be an issue. I think most of us can safely park along the shoulder of the old highway but there’s a chance you may have to park and walk a short distance.

I will try to be there a bit early so you can look for my truck and the trailer.

Please remember: We will NOT be removing brush, weeds, etc. Last Saturday, a visit to the site revealed that the entire place is covered in periwinkle, and there are sporadic trees of various sizes. The only heavy brush work we might want to do is moving already fallen trees or limbs so that we can work safely. Weed eaters may be helpful to temporarily cut the periwinkle to better enable us to search for fallen stones.

Notes: There are two large headstones down that I think we can put back up with enough muscle. One broken stone has a base that may be usable. A small stone was found but no base yet. Also, an intact footstone was found. We will do what we can Saturday and see what happens next! Thanks, Marc

Cole Cemetery Project

Soon, we will be in touch with Mrs. Tucker about the Cole Cemetery project. My pie in the sky goal would be to finish this small project before year’s end. Marc

Mantels Project Finished at Last!

Attached is a photo of the new directory box that Warren has fabricated. It will replace the rotten sign on the two posts in front of the cemetery at Mantels and will enclose Paul’s map of plots and the names of those with headstones. Very nice!

Well, I think I can honestly say we are through with Mantels, barring any other major discoveries. Saturday the ladies applied void mix where necessary and the last few tombstones were either erected or repaired. We have made a drastic difference there and I know that the church members are very appreciative, as am I. Thanks to everyone who helped with the project from start to finish. I know it seems as though we’ve been at Mantels for a “long time” but if you’ll remember we didn’t get started out there until sometime in June, so it’s only been about four months in which there has been a dramatic transformation.